Vikings’ Week 3 Matchup Just Got a Little Tougher

Jan 7, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) runs onto the field before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images.

Any time a team has to face off against Joe Burrow, it won’t be easy.

That is exactly the task that the Minnesota Vikings face in Week 3 though when they play host to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 of this season on Sunday, September 21.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, it looks like that matchup will get a little bit tougher.

Vikings’ Week 3 Matchup Gets Tougher After Star Signs Contract

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) takes the field for the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.

That is because one of the Bengals’ disgruntled stars, pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, officially signed a new contract with Cincinnati on Monday.

The move was reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN, who posted on X, “Another hold-in ends: Bengals and Trey Hendrickson reached agreement today on a $14 million raise for this year, boosting his 2025 salary to $30 million dollars, per sources. Hendrickson still is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.”

As Schefter mentioned, Hendrickson has been conducting a hold-in with the Bengals throughout training camp due to a dispute over his current contract. The star pass rusher was set to make just $16 million this season, severely below what his production has been worth over the past few seasons.

Jan 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91) celebrates as the Pittsburgh Steelers prepare to punt in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. The Bengals won 19-17 to finish the regular season at 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

For instance, Hendrickson has recorded at least 14 sacks in three of his first four seasons with the Bengals. Last year, he totaled 17.5 sacks for the second consecutive season, leading the entire NFL in that category and finishing second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Now, he officially looks like he will be on the field with his team when Cincinnati heads to U.S. Bank Stadium in September as the Bengals hope to make it back to the playoffs after missing the tournament in back-to-back years with 9-8 records.

Of course, that matchup was already going to be difficult on the Vikings as it will serve as the final game of Jordan Addison’s three-game suspension to begin the regular season. As a result, J.J. McCarthy and Minnesota’s new-look offensive line will have to go up against one of the most productive pass rushers in the league without one of their biggest offensive weapons on the field.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison celebrates a key fourth-quarter reception against the Atlanta Falcons. The play unfolded on Dec. 8, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as Addison continued to show his value in clutch moments late in the game. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.

On top of that, the Bengals have already proven to have one of the more explosive offenses themselves with Burrow under center as they finished among the top-10 teams in the NFL in both total points and total yards last season.

All in all, it looks like Week 3 will serve as a pretty big test for Minnesota.

Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.

Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey